Guide catheter with sensing element

Abstract

A guide catheter includes a tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end. A pressure or other sensor is disposed at or near the distal end of the body, preferably having an active surface thereof disposed away from the direction of blood flow when the catheter is present in a particular blood vessel, such as the aorta adjacent to a coronary ostium.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a guide catheter having a distal end suitable for insertion into a vessel in the vasculature of a patient and a proximal end which remains outside the patient, wherein the distal end has a predetermined shape accessing a coronary ostium, the catheter having an outer wall and a lumen defined therein, said lumen being adapted for insertion of an interactive catheter and having an open distal end, the improvement comprising at least one pressure sensing element provided in the outer wall of the guide catheter, wherein an active surface of the sensing element faces away from the direction flow of blood when the catheter is positioned adjacent the coronary ostium. 
     
     
       2. A guide catheter according to claim 1, wherein the sensing element is a piezoresistive pressure transducer, adapted for measuring blood-pressure of the patient. 
     
     
       3. A guide catheter according to claim 1, wherein the sensing element is located within 5 cm of the distal end of the catheter. 
     
     
       4. A guide catheter according to claim 1, wherein the distal end of said guide catheter has a predetermined shape for insertion into said vessel to maintain at least one portion of said distal end spaced from a wall of said vessel, and wherein the sensing element is mounted on said at least one portion. 
     
     
       5. A guide catheter according to claim 1, comprising at least one spacing member on the outer wall of the catheter, for maintaining the sensing element spaced from a wall of a blood vessel of the patient. 
     
     
       6. A guide catheter according to claim 1, wherein the sensing element is mounted on a resiliently biased portion of the wall of the catheter, so that the sensing element may be displaced inwardly with respect to the wall of the catheter. 
     
     
       7. A guide catheter according to claim 1, wherein the sensing element is integrated with the wall of the guide catheter. 
     
     
       8. A guide catheter according to claim 1, wherein said outer wall is provided with signal leads for carrying signals from said sensing element to the exterior of the patient. 
     
     
       9. A method of obtaining pressure measurements from the interior of a vessel in the vascular system of a patient, said method comprising: inserting into a vessel of the vascular system a guide catheter having an outer wall defining an internal lumen and having an open distal end for insertion of an interactive catheter and having at least one pressure sensing element mounted in the outer wall;   maneuvering the guide catheter to a desired location in an aorta of the patient so that the pressure sensing element is faced away from the direction of blood flow through the aorta; and   obtaining measurements of the aortic blood from said sensing element.   
     
     
       10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising introducing an interactive catheter through said lumen, and measuring with said sensing element while said interactive catheter is within the lumen. 
     
     
       11. In a guide catheter having a distal end suitable for insertion into a vessel in the vasculature of a patient and a proximal end which remains outside the patient, wherein the distal end has a predetermined shape for accessing a coronary ostium, the catheter having an outer wall and a lumen defined therein, said lumen being adapted for insertion of an interactive catheter and having an open distal end, the improvement comprising at least one pressure sensing element provided in the outer wall of the guide catheter, wherein an active surface of the pressure sensing element faces away from the direction flow of blood when the catheter is positioned adjacent the coronary ostium and wherein at least one spacing member on the outer wall of the catheter maintains the pressure sensing element spaced from a wall of a blood vessel of the patient. 
     
     
       12. A guide catheter according to claim 11, wherein the sensing element is a piezoresistive pressure transducer, adapted for measuring blood-pressure of the patient. 
     
     
       13. A guide catheter according to claim 11, wherein the sensing element is located within 5 cm of the distal end of the catheter. 
     
     
       14. A guide catheter according to claim 11, wherein the pressure sensing element is mounted on a resiliently biased portion of the wall of the catheter. 
     
     
       15. In a guide catheter having a distal end suitable for insertion into a vessel in the vasculature of a patient and a proximal end which remains outside the patient, wherein the distal end has a predetermined shape for accessing a coronary ostium, the catheter having an outer wall and a lumen defined therein, said lumen being adapted for insertion of an interactive catheter and having an open distal end, the improvement comprising at least one pressure sensing element provided in the outer wall of the guide catheter wherein the sensing element is mounted on a resiliently biased portion of the wall of the catheter, so that the sensing element may be displaced inwardly with respect to the wall of the catheter. 
     
     
       16. A guide catheter according to claim 15, wherein the sensing element is a piezoresistive pressure transducer, adapted for measuring blood-pressure of the patient. 
     
     
       17. A guide catheter according to claim 15, wherein the sensing element is located within 5 cm of the distal end of the catheter. 
     
     
       18. A guide catheter according to claim 15, wherein the predetermined shape maintains at least one portion of said distal end spaced from a wall of said vessel, and wherein the pressure sensing element is mounted on said at least one portion. 
     
     
       19. In a guide catheter having a distal end suitable for insertion into a vessel in the vasculature of a patient and a proximal end adapted to remain outside the patient, wherein the distal end has a predetermined shape for accessing a coronary, ostium via the aortic arch including a distal end which is adapted to engage the coronary ostium, a curved portion which is adapted to traverse the aortic arch, and an intermediate portion between the curved portion and the distal tip, the catheter having an outer wall and a lumen defined therein, said lumen being adapted for insertion of an interactive catheter and having an open distal end, the improvement comprising at least one pressure sensing element provided in the outer wall of the guide catheter, wherein the pressure sensing element is disposed on the intermediate portion of said guide catheter so as to be maintained substantially away from the aortic wall. 
     
     
       20. A guide catheter according to claim 19, wherein the sensing element is a piezoresistive pressure transducer, adapted for measuring blood-pressure of the patient. 
     
     
       21. A guide catheter according to claim 19, wherein the sensing element is located within 5 cm of the distal end of the catheter. 
     
     
       22. A guide catheter according to claim 19, wherein the sensing element is mounted on a resiliently biased portion of the wall of the catheter, so that the sensing element may be displaced inwardly with respect to the wall of the catheter. 
     
     
       23. A guide catheter according to claim 19, further comprising at least one spacing member on the outer wall of the catheter, for maintaining the sensing element spaced from a wall of a blood vessel of the patient.